The Other Boleyn
by DineinDina
Summary: After 1527 when Henry died of the sweating, England was left with a female Monarch, Mary I of England. Taking on the challenge to try and bridge the conflict between the reformation and catholic religion in her country, thomas boleyn uses his son george.
1. Chapter 1

A possible future where her husband might not die. Katherine cherished every moment of her past with Henry. She knew today would be his last days on Earth. The Doctors said they could do nothing to cure him.

Despite everything he had done to her in the Great Matter, she still loved him, no matter what she would always love him.

Henry, she thought desperately, praying to her GOD that he might be spared ... for her, England and above all for Mary.

Mary needed her father, and the Country was close to being torn appart. The second he would die, Mary would have to be declared Queen, all the preparations were already being made. Henry wasn't too happy with leaving this world without first having a son for England.

Oh Henry, now she thought mocking his male ego. You think England is like your balls, but my Mary's England will be a better England than you or Anne could have dreamed off. Get a son from her sure, you probably would have; but he nor she would have reached the potential of MY Mary. She will rule a better England than my mother or father did in their Kingdoms, and she will get back everything your ancestors lost to the French. My Mary will rule a better England than you. She is a Tratasmara, but she is also a Tudor and your daughter, she will have your strength and your courage, but she will have MY wit and intelligence.

Your days are over my Lord.

Minutes later after she finished expelling her anger at all that her husband made her suffer in the past seven years, Doctor Linacre came to her Quarters.

His face was haggard looking and besides him Doctor Butts who was cowering in her prescence. The old Doctor Linacre was the first to speak, in a grave tone he gave her the news: "Your Majesty the King of England ... is dead"

No tears, no resentment only a moan was heard from the now Dowager Queen's lips.

Poor Henry, never to see their LEGITIMATE child grow up to become the greatest Monarch that ever ruled this Island.

Well, she must leave the past behind. Henry was no more, a new age was upon them, the age of women, the age of Queens.

Long live Queen Mary I of England.

"We must do everything necessary" The Queen declared, all sadness left from her face as she envisioned the preparations for her daughter's coronation.

* * *

Wales, Ludlow Castle

1527

Mary was in her room practicing her music when she first heard the news of her father's death, because of the sweating. She thought that after she had seen her father strong as always in the chappel praying for those who were most unfortunate, that the plague was over.

She was wrong.

One week after his funeral; her mother had come along with the Duke of Suffolk, her Godfather Thomas Wolsey and her father's best friend -Sir Thomas Moore.

The told Mary that preparations were already being made, she was going to be crowned. England's first Queen, it was an honor and she should be -by all means- proud to be the first woman to rule over her Country. But she was ascending to the throne of a divided Country, torn apart between religion and conscience. How was she supposed to be a good ruler.

Her mother told her that she would use her head. What about God, and her faith? Did those two not matter at all to her mother?

"When you sit on the throne you become close to God, you become the Country's mother and father. Whatever you choose, the Monarch thinks ahead of how it will affect the people" Her mother declared taking her daughter's hand and leading her to the carriage. They had been preparing all day giving her expensive clothing. Katherine wanted her daughter to shine above all other girls for her Coronation. She kept telling her she would never forget this day, it was especial.

Mary knew how especial it meant FOR her mother, but her father was dead. It didn't seem fair that her loving papa should die so she could take the throne. She knew he would have to die some day or abdicate, the former being the most likely. But why did it have to be so soon?  
Why did God have to take him from them?

"Mary don't cry, you will spoil your eyes."

"But the Country, there are heretics around and the stories you told me about my grandparents purifying Spain, shouldn't I be doing the same?"

Katherine laughed at her daughter's innocence. She would rule alongside her, until she wouldn't be naive anymore. Her daughter was a kind soul, but she needed to know and experience the feeling of malice. Katherine hated to introduce her daughter to such intrigue, but sometimes for a King or Queen to be a good and efficient ruler, he and especially she (in a man's world) needs to act on some of the devil's intrigue and do some little evil in her life to create a greater good for the Country. Her mother had done so and she was never toppled from power.

Katherine did not agree with the heretic Luther. But she was a great politician and she learned from the greatest maskers, if Mary wanted to hold the Country she would have to do whatever was possible. She didn't have to accept that idiot's words full heartedly, but she could show some tolerance, create a gray area that wouldn't stir up rebellions against her.

They had to use every means possible to keep the people in a placid state.

"Mary, did not God say love our enemies and love each other. Did not God have conversations in the most humble places with beggars, rapist, prostitues, did God not send his son to absolve us from sin?"

"Yes but ..."

"Then why do you doubt my words. Have I ever been wrong? God will find a way to save the souls who are affected by Luther and other rebels from those men. You and I know they are wrong, but the son of God said to decide. The Moors always enforce, do you want to enforce and become the contrary of Jesus?"

Mary shook her head, fear spreading through her. "Of course not mother!" she cried. "I want to be a good Christian and if that means letting those people say Luther's venom then I will be like Jesus, let them preach and show them love. If I show them love they can recant or see the lighter side of the Church right mama?"

"Possibly but don't show them too much acceptance. Sometimes the good you do Mary does not do you any good, but in this case just be show to grant them better freedom than Wolsey or Sir Thomas. Don't ban the texts, why don't you let the people decide?" Katherine proposed to her daughter, who in a few hours would be crowned Queen of England.

Mary nodded, the realization of what her mother implied hit her finally. It wasn't about God, it was about her throne. But then ... Sir Thomas once said that Jesus said to decide and love each other, and the more she thought about what the bible said and her lessons on the scholars new writings, the more she came to the conclusion she would have to show religious tolerance if she wanted to keep her throne and help the people, in every way -spiritually (Without intrussion of their choice of faith) and economically.

The treassury she had inherited from her father was still big, and she was free to do with it as she wished but she wouldn't spend it on lavish and very expensive parties, as often as her father did. She would use it for better purposes.

"You are right mama"

Katherine's smile turned wider and she bent to kiss her forehead. "I don't care what they will call you. You will always be my Princess Amor."

"And you will always be my Queen mama"

"Oh Mary ... mi cielo" Mother and daughter hugged and remained like that until the carriage stopped and the chofer announced they had finally arrived to Westminster.

Katherine torn between duty and love, finally said to Mary after she parted from the embrace. "Se fuerte hija. Este es tu momento, seras Reina. (Be strong child. This is your moment, you will be Queen)" She couldn't resist her motherly instinct and she kissed her daughter's forehead again.

Mary knew her mother was more nervous than she was, but she was right. They had to be strong for England. Much would be done now that Mary would take the throne, she knew of the turmoil and she would take her mother's advice. Mind over muscle and heart. She would rule with the heart of the King, despite having the weak body of a girl she had the toughness and strength of her father.

Today she would honor his memory. Her father would never have to worry, now that he was in Heaven, about his Kingdom's future. It was in good hands, the granddaughter of the greatest Kings in Christendom and daughter of Katherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, England's dawn had finally arrived.

* * *

Dina~ Hey, this is my fanfiction baby just popped in my head I hope you like it. If you want to show your support send reviews, nothing would make me more happy.

cheers.


	2. Chapter 2

_Me (Dina) and Valery wish everyone on a happy christmas and may all your wishes come true._

_Cheers!_

* * *

(Katherine of Aragon)

The weight of the worlds was on my daughter's shoulders and I could not help but feel proud of this future. Sure, God had arranged for this to happen, but I am not sure that after Mary nearly broke into tears when the crown was placed on top of her, that she is really ready for what lays ahead.

I pray to God and the virgin that she becomes prepared, because there are many who would like to see Mary fail, the Boleyns above all

* * *

_(Thomas Moore)_

Katherine prayed to the Virgin when she was with her private confessor. I confess to the All Mighty I shouldn't have listened, but I could not help but listen to her voice after her daughter had been officially crowned as the first Queen in England. Mary I, it had a nice ring to it.

I should lash myself for spying on the Queen Dowager or address her afterwards, in private, as Katherine instead of her title. I cannot help it, I know she is a proud and noble woman, all the things she said to Henry when he threatened to anull their marriage. But, there has always been something mystical, a sort of a stronger bond than the one she shared with my friend Harry, between us.

I shattered that bond, at least that is what I thought when she married Harry. Now that she says she feels all alone, she confessed to the priest that her feelings for her "platonic love" are starting to reappear and no matter how much she prays, she cannot get rid of them.

"If I would get rid of them, I would loose a significant part of myself, I would stop being Katherine and go back to being Catalina. I can't deny that my hearts yearns to be back in the battlefields that my brave mother held when she stood up against the Moors, and smell the fresh aromas that we learned from them and sleep in the most beautiful palaces ... but my place is here, and if I want to live in the present I must confront my fears and accept that I cannot live without his memory"

Had it been so long since we first met that she couldn't see a way to go back to normalcy?

My mind wanted to tell her to stop and remind herself that even if Harry was dead, he had been her husband and that if she wanted to keep her daughter's position strong in this torned Country, she had to keep her virtues intact, for her daughter ... and for me.

I slumped to my chair. I thought about telling Meg, Cecilia or Alice about what Katherine had confessed. Maybe they could understand, I know Cecilia would. She was a patient and obedient daughter, comprehensive and very understanding of every peer she would not judge me or the former Queen.

Meg, who knows what she would say. Even if she was my favorite of all my children, I will admit to that sin, her mind had always been a mystery. She had greater virture than me, so if she knew that her father was lusting after another woman, other than her stepmother, her opinion of me might no longer be very high. I could not risk my reputation for my daughter's sake, because for Meg, that her father was the example of true virtue was everything.

To Alice finally ... what can I say. I stare at the Saints in front of the wall where I have my cross hanging on top of my drawer. I seek answers, but the harder I stare, I find more questions.  
Questions, I ponder that it is what Alice will ask me, not two or more questions but only one: why? And afterwards where I would find no answers, she would slap and me and yell at me for my betrayal. It would not be a real betrayal, in my opinion betrayal was based on carnal pleasure, and I had never done any of the sort with Katherine; but Alice, she would not care if I had sex or not with Katherine. The fact I have in my head fantasies of her, and my heart cannot stop yearning for her is enough for my wife to go angry.  
And finally adding a resolve to my problems, I find myself finding absolution through the most unexpected ways: a lie.

I will lie to Alice, tell her the coronation went fine and that nothing would make me happier but to have her and the rest of our family here with me. They would not know, and I would not tell Katherine that I heard her confession.

Everything now was as it should be.

* * *

(_Enter the Boleyns)_

Boleyn Clan did not see their defeat in the little dwarf Queen.

Their Spanish half breed monarch had much to learn, if she thought that she could top them. Papa Boleyn still had too many wild plays hidden under his sleeves, and one of them he realized, happened to be his son George.

He started doing the math.

Anne was out of the sum for power, she and Mary were no longer good. Ladies were of no longer any use to the Boleyn and noble Howard Clan, but boys, well ... he figured, there could be some changed made there.  
If George or that arrogant, strouting poor Howard boy, his nephew were to lure a certain monarch through their _charms_ like their female counterparts had, almost, succesfully done ... there could still be something salvaged from their past attempts.

He let his brother in law, the Duke of Norfolk in on his plans. Thomas Howard, nearly laughed at the crazy schemes his brother in law was planning.

"Have you gone mad? Do you think that the dwarf will really be that lust driven like her father? Please!" He barked at Thomas Boleyn. "She is more a nun than a Queen, His former Highness shouldn't have died so soon ... it was not right, now we have a poor excuse of a woman and a Monarch ruling instead!" He said with disdain.

Thomas Boleyn did not think differently of the Queen, his thought were the same of the little "dwarf", but the fact was, he reminded to the Duke, that the dwarf was Queen and if they wanted to be back as the Monarch's favorite; they had to devise a new, more brilliant plan to be part of the Tudor family.

"What about her mother?" The Duke of Norfolk asked with a desperate tone, hinting fear. "The Queen Dowager will never let any, and mark my words, any of Howard or Boleyn connection get close to the throne. You don't know Katherine of Aragon like I did. I was there before she was crowned, and when she became Queen, I attended the ceremony. She is more cunning, a top match like your youngest daughter Anne. She can spot an enemy when she sees one, believe me Thomas she will eat us alive or butcher us like cattle!"

"Then why don't we put those two, mother and daughter apart" Papa Boleyn suggested to his frantic brother in law. Unlike the Howard Patriarch, the Boleyn Patriarch did not flinch or showed fear when the Duke mentioned what Katherine of Aragon was capable of doing now that she seemed all powerful after her daughter.

"How?" Asked the Duke bewildered.

"Simple. Pit them against each other. It is not easy for a mother to accept her daughter is growing and that she soon she might leave her mother's protection and become a woman. Our Queen Mary I might have been raised to be a nun, but she is a Tudor and like her father she has the weakness for love. She yearns to be free, we all saw it, she is a young girl. She didn't ask to be Queen, and even with her mother and that idiot Moore at her side to help her, she will still need someone ... someone who can console her, someone ... intimate" Thomas said, the Duke now interested, completely forgot his fears and eyed his brother in law curiously.

"What are you proposing really Thomas?"

"Nothing milord, I am just making a suggestion." Thomas simply said and left the Duke's room, where he pondered on what Thomas was proposing. It was a risky suggestion, but good.

He was right. He came to his senses, if this girl had anything of her father's blood, she might be just as easy to lure in their way without any problem.

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to have a young Queen instead of a King. As a young woman and unmarried Queen, their chances were greater than with Henry the VIII.

* * *

I am probably not going to update until after the holidays, happy holidays again from Dina


	3. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AN

_AUTHOR'S IMPORTANT NOTE:_

* * *

_(12/21/09)_

Me and Valery want to add to our prior comments, it doesn't matter whether you will celebrate christmas, or celebrating Hannukah, or other holiday on these last days of the year.

If you have some hard comitments to make for next year, make them a new year will come leaving behind all that has happened, my personal comitment that I will share with you is this:

Enjoy this time as much as I can with Val.

We are going our separate ways after highschool, and we know these times have been great to us, parties, celebrating our birthdays with our friends, my boyfriend and recently joining the debate team.

So enjoy the holidays guys, have a great time with your friends and family.

~From Val and Dina

HAVE A MERRY TIME SEE YOU NEXT YEAR


	4. Chapter 4

_Happy 2010 TO EVERYONE!_

_Here it is, third chapter._

_~Dina_

* * *

_(1531)_

The Boleyns were still insistant to be allowed to return to Court ... like when their former King -Henry VIII had been in charge. The former Princess had grown a lot since her father's death, and her ascention to the throne.

Queen Mary resulted in a headstrong monarch, very much like her father, the only diference (besides her sex) was her temper. While her father's depravity knew no bounds, and he was easily swayed by the opposite sex; his daughter on the contrary: her head was where it should be -on Earth. She knew no depravity, but her anger knew no bounds.

Sky was the limit, everyone would hear her say.

Mary was a cheerful Queen and she loved to organize parties, and tournaments to honor the House of Tudor. She wanted to establish her House as the most noblest that ruled over England. She didn't anyone to challenge or question her authority, even if she said she would accept any sugestion on how to rule from Parliament.  
Her latest advisor -Sir Thomas Moore- had recently become the Courtier's newest enemy. Not only for his approximation to the Queen and the Dowager Queen (to whom his intimacy was well assumed that it was closer than it should be), it was also the _fact_ his son was introduced to the Queen, and he was about her same age and rumor had it-they were very close.

If Thomas Boleyn wanted a chance to introduce his son to the Queen, he had to return Court.

Norfolk had fared better than Vicount Rochford. The Dowager Queen wasn't a lioness with Thomas Howard as he would have first suspected. He had reduced his income and pension, and his apartment in Greenwich, and that on Richmond had been taken away and instead he had been granted smaller room, but that didn't matter because his brother in law was there, a Courtier still.  
What did Thomas have? Nothing! That is what!

The little whore, he should have spat the word when he had the chance before the Queen of England.

Was he fool enough to believe that she had not laid with Arthur while they were together for more than 6 months? Everyone knew they had been intimate, the sheets -the servants said it themselves on that day, had been stained with the Queen's blood.

Their King was no fool, but he pretended to be.

Thomas sighed and put a hand on his mouth. What would he do if he was lucky enough that his brohter in law got them back at Court? Would he throw George to the wolves immediately, would he like any villain commit the mistake, on a desperate attempt to have power again, and tell his boy of his plans right away before he pondered on the _possible_ consequences? He didn't know what to do.  
For the first Thomas Boleyn was thrown against the wall. There was something that told him he would return to Court, but that the Queen, still sore with his two daughters, would not allow Anne or Mary with him, only George.  
That was fair enough.

* * *

At Greenwich the Queen was having another Tournament. She knew her mother did not enjoyed them as much as she and her father did, and she understood _why_.

Her father had seldomly asked for her cloth on his spear before the game began, it was usally one of his ladies who would be honored. Especially that whore Anne Boleyn, and before her, her sister, the "Great Prostitute" of France and England.

She loved Tournaments, and the more she kept the games going, the happier the people were and that was her second main concern besides their welfare, to keep them happy.

She cheered as her two favorite knights competed in the joust. It was now dubbed "Tournament of Roses" because of their Queen, the tudor rose.

Mary cheers were the loudest, even if her mother didn't aprooved she was happy to be witness of this great display of courage. Lord Thomas Seymour and Sir Anthony Knivert who had recently been knighted by the Queen did not disappoint the crowd.  
Sir Anthony for one part proved you are never too old to still kick a younger warrior's behind, and Thomas (the victor) proved courage was the greater virtue.

"My Queen ... I give this victory ... to you" He said in between breaths. He was exhausted, so was Sir Anthony who everyone called "Tony". Mary smiled at them both and said both of them showed great courage, but ultimately it was Thomas who proved to have greater courage, while Tony -she pointed out- was the one with the brains. "You make a good pair, if there was to be a battlefied, with you -we would surely win against any army, France, Spain, we can name them." she added, and the crowd applauded at her commentary.

After the Tournament everyone left to the palace. Their Queen held another feast in honor of the Tournament of the Roses.

While everyone danced to the beat of the music, Mary remained seated watching most of her Courtier's contect faces, there was a small group who had their anger with them and were not afraid to show it in front of their Queen, but she paid them no attention. She was very entertained with the music, the feast, the dance and with her conversation with Master John Moore.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Soooo sorry I have not updated. To all my revieweres bear with me I am terrible at updating! If you have the patience and want to keep reviewing this story then I thank you very much loyal readers.

Now someone did ask me of what will this be, a maryjohn or marygeorge pairing? What I can say is that I changed the pairing from my original outcome, so it could change again as I begin to post more of the chapters, the updated btw will be slow as I have my other story that needs to be updated too.

Without further adue guys I leave you with Chapter 5.

* * *

_(1531)_

_Christmas Celebrations_

Their Queen was not dancing today. She was too busy greeting all her guests. Out of the people attending the ball at Hampton Court Palace were the Boleyns, that is only their Patriarch and his heir, Lord George Boleyn. Her mother hadn't agreed with Mary's decission to bring them back to Court, but she had argued that thought Thomas was a despicable man, for what he had been willing to do to displace her once as the rightful Queen, they needed him. More so, England needed him. Mary was having hard trouble as it was ruling. Her mama and former tutors, alongside Sir Thomas Moore were great help, but it was not enough. They needed conniving, ambitious and equally ruthless negotiators like the Ambassadors from other European Countries.

Her mother had to understand that. But her mother was reluctant as she was proud. Katherine of Aragon said to Mary that no matter how much Thomas would prove himself to England, she would never trust him and would always sent spies to watch over him and his son.

Mary did not argue about the Boleyns again, now that it was Christmas she let her mother say whatever she wanted. If she wanted to think that the Boleyns were conniving and ambitious, Mary would not deny it -as she thought the same thing. But Viscount Rochford was a callous and great politician, no matter what his personality said, nobody could deny that. To do so would just be to lying to yourself. Mary needed more men as ruthless in politics, not afraid to take chances and great obstacles like Thomas Boleyn.  
It required all of Mary's will power though, to actually greet him with respect since she still felt like Sir Thomas Moore that this man was the same or worse than Satan! To have put his own daughters in the King way to steal her mother's place ... was disgusting!  
She wasn't here to inquire on his lack of morals, she invited him to ask him (Since she reinstated him as Royal Ambassador) of how were the negotiations for an Imperial or French Alliance?

Thomas showed the young woman, Mary I, a low curtsy. It was a phony as his smile, Mary noted. His eyes were just as alert as hers.

He replied to her question after Mary commanded him to rise.  
"The King of France is willing to sign a marriage contract with you and the Dauphin -but I should remind Her Majesty the Dauphin, Francis, is very sick since his imprisonment it is said he needs to drink water each second or he might have a heart attack." Thomas said with a very serious, yet slow paced tone as he chose every word carefully. The last thing he wanted was the Queen to see through his plans.

Mary forced a sympathetic smile. Part of her felt sad for the Dauphin and what her cousin had done to force the King of France to surrender, but the other part (she admitted in her mind feeling guilty) was relieved because she and the Dauphin had last parted, since they were kids, on bad terms.

She cleared her throat, mentioning it was a tragedy what was happening to the Dauphin, but what about Francis' two younger sons. Surely tehy enjoyed better health? She asked.

The Boleyn Patriarch did not smile, his tone was slow paced as before, showing no emotion and extremely serious as he gave details about the Duke of Orleans and the Duke of Angeloume -"There is no doubt the King of France's sons" He paused unsure what words he should used for "dementia" and explaining weakness for the King of France's sons' mental and physical states. He finally came up with a less harsh tone and meaning -"they have been scarred through out the difficult times during their imprisonment" he then added boldly "the Duc of Orleans has taken a Mistress Diana of Poiters and she is his wife in everything but name, then of course Charles the youngest Duke and son has no Mistresses but his liaisons are not a secret in the French Court and he is whispered to be his father's favorite"

Mary took in everything the Viscount of Rochford said. So no marriage with either, she thought wryly. Her mother would not have wanted anyway, and she didn't want to have another argument regarding France or Royal marriage to the Dauphin with her again. But there was part of her that felt slightly disappointed that the marriage contract could not be signed because of the Princes' physical and mental impairements.

Why was it so hard for her to get married or have a succesful contract? She bet her mother had not gone through the same ailments! Her mamma had been married of at sixteen, and then when she had been with her father she already had the experience of ruling through spending her time off in Eltham and in the short time she had rules Wales alongside her late Uncle, the Prince Arthur Tudor.

Mary felt so alone at times, like everyone she knew deep inside was really expecting her to fail. And then there were the people who believed in her but urged her (like those who did not believe in her) to marry. Nobody, enemies or allies, believed she could rule on her own. They all had this strong conviction that Mary needed a man besides her. And though she partly agreed, part of her did not want to share her power with someone that wasn't her mama. When her mama counseled her Mary did not mind, but when someone else wanted to take their places, then it was a problem.  
Besides, her mama had asked once, who would be good enough to be the husband of Mary who was descendant of the two greatest Monarchs in Spain and in all Christendom?

She pretended not to care anymore. She switched the subject from a marriage with France to the possibility of an Imperial one.

Viscount Rochford saw his opportunity here. The little twirp thought that she was a smart one playing Ruler and General in a man's world. Thomas did not have trouble with her pretending she knew more than she did not, he saw that character and lived with it through Anne Boleyn, his youngest daughter and would have been Mistress of Mary I's father Henry. What the problem between him and the Queen was that the Queen thought of him as Satan's Emissary, something he had no problem, but he thought that she was a spoiled brat who had no idea how to be cunning and really ruthless.  
Nobody in God forsake England expected her to survive.  
It mattered to Thomas that she did, for no one, including him wanted another War of the Roses. But for that he would also have to make sure that the Queen helped his family advance further into power. If she and her mother, the Queen Dowager thought that Thomas Boleyn was out of the game of using his children for his advancement, how wrong they were indeed!

Thomas always had an ace in his sleeve, and now it was time to pull it off.

* * *

Katherine of Aragon did not like the way her daughter was talking with the "Ambassador". She thought Mary made a great mistake naming him Ambassador. Did she not know waht she was getting herself into? This man loved Power more than loyalty. He was loyal to no one other than himself, in the chance he got -if it was to his benefit- he would betray her Mary, of this she had no doubt whatsoever.

* * *

Thomas Moore saw the worry in his Dowager Queen's eyes, she tried to calm her down reminding her that Mary was granddaughter to the Great Catholic Kings Fernando and Isabel of Aragon and Castile respectively. She wouldn't be fooled easily by that man.

But despite the comfort he sent to his Spanish Queen, even he could not deny his doubts.

"Do you think he really wants the good of England because it benefits him, or do you think he has something else in mind? Something as nasty as before when my husband was King?" She asked to Thomas.

Thomas sipped the last remains of his red wine of his silver goblet he had been served earlier. He wasn't a heavy drinker, but he couldn't help it. Today he had been mustering all the courage he could find in him to ask Katherine for a dance. But, needless to say he had failed again like so many other years before.  
Katherine was the daughter of Kings, he was a man of low birth, probably for all he knew he could have descended hundreds of years ago from thieves or worse -pirates! Katherine deserved better. He was a man that was as square as the Duke of Suffolk was a libertine. No woman in their right minds would look at him and find him attractive. Besides, he thought, I am fifty and though it is not a huge age difference since we are only four years apart, I am still older and I have been through two marriage, all that have ended very tragically. I cannot say hers has been different, but at least she has always loved Henry, while I admit that it was my sin to never love my wives as much as they loved me.  
Helping the young Queen to rule hadn't been easy, though patient and kind, she had proven to also be more stubborn and headstrong than Henry ever was.

He sighed and looked back at the Queen Dowager. "I think Thomas Boleyn is a man we should always have an eye for Your Majesty" he said.

* * *

A/N: As you can see I changed some of the character's ages to best fit my story. Thomas Moore instead of being born in 1478 is born on 1481, making him only four years older than Katherine whose age I am keeping historically the same b. December 1485.

I want to see those reviews! And be patient as I am with others with the updates.

~Dina


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